The Man and the Lion
by Asagi Tsuki
Summary: Draco Black grew up with rejection deeply etched in his mind and heart.  One day, he met a lion who would set him free


**The Man and the Lion**

By: Asagi Tsuki

Pairing: Harry/Draco, mention of others

Summary: Draco Black grew up with rejection deeply etched in his mind and heart. One day, he met a lion who would set him free

Warning: possible OOCness, non-magic AU but hints of fantasy

Disclaimer: obviously, Harry Potter is not written by me. If it were, it would be so lame, that this fandom would be non-existent. And I would be off writing another book instead of fanfics

A/N: so, I went back to Yunjae fandom for a while, and adopted a plot. In it, I threw in two OCs that were "representative" of Harry and Draco, but their story became the background story. This is the Harry/Draco-centric version of the story, focusing more on the background story at the beginning. Halfway through, it should follow that particular fic until the end.

If anyone's curious, the fic could be found at my LJ, razra_eizel, in my non-HP masterlist. It's titled "A Man and His Tiger"

Anyway, hope you enjoy~

**The Man and the Lion**

Draco didn't remember much from his childhood. It was as if his mind was trying its hardest to forget. Forget all the anger, the screams, the disappointment, the sadness, the tears, and the hurt. Tried to forget how broken and dead inside he felt when those words escaped the lips of the man he looked up to so much.

"_I hate you! I refuse to be burdened by you!"_

He only remembered snippets of memories from before he was six. They were like cutscenes that kept replaying behind his eyelids, the sounds echoing in his ears. He didn't even remember what the man looked like. He only remembered his voice, strained with anger. He remembered his hand, big and hot and calloused when he slapped him.

He remembered his mother's tears. Remembered seeing her hand shake as she tried to sign the divorce document. Remembered seeing her so angry because he was treated like an object—a worthless object.

He never remembered anything from before then. He didn't remember how his parents took care of him when he was still small. Didn't remember what he did during his kindergarten years. Didn't remember anything happy from that lost five years of his life.

He only remembered his father as an utterly selfish bastard. He couldn't understand why his mother would sometimes cry at night while staring at a picture of the man. Couldn't understand why his aunts and uncles would look at him sympathetically for losing an important figure in his life.

Ever since the divorce, both he and his mother took back her maiden name. He was known as Draco Black, and he was technically adopted by one of his uncles, who remained single even as he turned forty.

He never had any friend at school since then. Bitterness, resentment, disappointment and rejection resided within his heart, and it flowed through. Other children were afraid of getting close to him, and at night he would weep in his room, wondering why everyone rejected him.

This broke Narcissa's heart. She told her sisters and cousins, and it was Sirius, Draco's current father figure, who gifted Draco a Siberian Husky for his eighth birthday. She didn't understand at first, but she saw the changes and Sirius was delighted.

Draco was afraid to befriend people because he feared they would reject him and leave him like his father did. That same fear caused him to be afraid of befriending even animals. However, the dog—which he now named Grace—was loyal and accepting of him no matter what. Grace helped him recover, helped him regain his confidence, and helped him make friends.

During his last year of high school, Grace died of old age. He mourned for her, but didn't dwell in his grief. He decided to become a vet in memory of her, and Narcissa let him. She knew better than to take her son's dream from him, and she was only glad that a couple of his trusted friends were studying to become a vet as well.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"I still don't see why they let a girl in the same house as boys," Blaise commented as he sat down in one of the armchairs in the living room.

"Sexist," Pansy said with a glower as she sat opposite him.

"And now I'm not even a girl anymore?" Hermione asked as she looked up from the box where she kept all her textbooks.

"I'm sure that's not what he meant," Draco said with a chuckle as Blaise adopted the look of someone who just put his foot in his mouth. "But really, there are two boys and two girls. I don't see what the problem is. It's not like we're having sex with them."

"Must you be so crude?" Hermione asked as she sniffed in disdain.

"And don't forget that you two are gay," Pansy said pointedly, glaring at Blaise. Apparently she was still bitter at him for stealing her crush away.

"Whatever. I don't want to argue with women anymore," Blaise said, raising his hands up in surrender.

"But isn't this exciting?" Draco asked, settling on the armrest of Blaise's chair. "At least we're not living with strangers."

At their university, students were provided with a townhouse to share with three fellow students as on-campus accommodation. The townhouse wasn't big, but enough. There was a living room, a bathroom, and a kitchen joined to the dining room. There were four rooms upstairs, along with another bathroom.

Hermione and Pansy had immediately claimed the upstairs bedroom, so Blaise and Draco were left with the downstairs one.

Because they had known each other for years, it was easy to split the chores between them. There was no more hesitation or reluctance in asking the other to clean the house. Hermione made the timetable of who cooked on what time and what day, and also another table of who cleaned what every weekend. The others just went with the flow.

"You know what we should do?" Blaise asked suddenly. "Go for a vacation every break."

"That's a waste of time and money," Hermione said as she frowned.

"Not at all, I think it's great," Draco said. "Well, I mean, when else are we going to have time to go on a vacation, just the four of us?"

"Well, if you say it like that," Pansy said. "I'll leave the task of planning everything to you though, Zabini."

Blaise groaned, then complained about women who hold grudges.

"Oh, come off it, you're still the only one in a relationship among us," Hermione said with a scoff. "I'm actually surprised he's not coming with you to study here. I thought his father is a vet."

"He is," Pansy said. "His father, I mean. Theo wants to follow his mother's footsteps and become an interior designer."

"I thought his mother is a fashion designer," Draco said in surprise. "He only ever said that his mother is a designer."

"Why are we talking about him, again?" Blaise asked as he glared at Pansy.

"Because you're the only one who has a boyfriend, and what are friends for if not to tease you mercilessly about it?" Pansy asked with a seemingly innocent grin.

Blaise covered his face with a cushion and wondered why Pansy had to fall for Theo too.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

As a group, they all decided to keep a dog in their house. Aside from being a subject to practicing what they had learned—of course, they only tried to cure the dog if he was sick, and not anything else—the dog was good company. Draco had been reluctant at first, because the three chose a Siberian Husky, and he was awfully reminded of Grace, but he finally agreed, and they let him name the dog.

He named the dog Love. Pansy shook her head. Hermione laughed. Blaise only smiled indulgently at him. Sirius commented that it was cute. Narcissa was happy that Draco finally got over Grace. Theo said it was such a girlish name for a male dog.

When the time came for them to leave on their first vacation together, the four sent Love to live with Sirius until they came back. Regulus complained again and again because he was allergic to pets, and Sirius was even more delighted, that prankster.

Blaise had found a small cabin up on the mountains, close to a small village. There was a hot spring, woods, and a fishing spot in the woods. Blaise wanted to go because he loved going to hot springs. Pansy agreed because the accommodation was cheap, and she heard the villagers were friendly, things were cheap, and they made great handcrafted things. Draco agreed because he liked nature, and he secretly liked fishing, because it was relaxing.

Hermione had to leave with his family to Italy for a cousin's wedding, so she couldn't go up there with them. She was disappointed, but Pansy promised that the next vacation would be better and Blaise had glared at her because of the implication. Hermione laughed, and left them with wishes that they would have fun at the cabin.

"This place is actually nice, isn't it?" Draco asked when they reached the cabin, and Pansy silently agreed, not missing the smug look Blaise shot her. Draco shook his head in disbelief. Theo and Blaise had started dating two years ago, and Pansy was still hung up on it.

Maybe he should set her up with someone. Preferably soon.

"There are actually four rooms here, so pick whichever you want," Blaise said as he put his bag down. "I'm going to the village to buy some groceries first. You two can unpack. I'll unpack while you're making dinner."

"Who are you talking to?" Draco asked with a grin.

"Oh, the one who replies," Blaise said with a matching grin, then ran out of the cabin before Draco could say anything.

Pansy giggled and ran upstairs before Draco could try and get her to cook instead. He followed her up, and was confused when he felt a strange sensation, as if there was something pulling him towards the room at the end of the corridor. He didn't resist, following it to the room, and opened the door.

The room was simple. The walls were cream-coloured, and there were minimal furniture inside, only a bed, a desk, a chair, a dresser, and an end table. However, he felt a strange wave of nostalgia as he stood there at the entrance of the room, although he was certain he had never been there before. Before he left, he had promised that he would tell everything to his family—his mother, aunts and uncles, because they've only heard about this place, but never been here.

He didn't understand. He couldn't comprehend why. But he took it with gratefulness. He knew that when the time came, he would know. For now, he was content just staying in that room, feeling that familiar warmth that had been long forgotten by him.

"Draco?" Pansy called from the doorsill. "Are you alright?"

It was then that he noticed he had been sitting on the bed, spacing out. "Oh, yes, I'm fine," he said with a smile. "Just thinking that this is a nice place."

Pansy laughed. She walked into the room and closed the door behind her. "Indeed, this is a very nice place. Blaise has outdone himself again."

"Pansy," Draco started as Pansy settled down on the chair in front of the desk, then turned to face him. "How long have you known Blaise?"

Pansy laughed again. "Are you worried about our ongoing hostility?" she asked. Her smile softened into one of a big sister when Draco nodded, his eyes shining with worry and concern. "Don't, Draco."

"But—"

"We're childhood friends," Pansy answered. "I've known him since I could walk. Although we're friends, we're always trying to outdo each other. His latest win over me is Theo, but as long as they're happy, I don't mind, really. This is how we usually act, so you don't have to worry."

"If you say so," Draco reluctantly agreed.

"It is so," Pansy said, reaching over to pat Draco's head like she would to a kitten. "Stop worrying about us, okay? It's flattering, but that's how we are. It's a constant in our lives, and we don't actually want to change it."

Draco smiled back at her, and was about to say something when a shout from downstairs interrupted him.

"Draco, pugface, I'm back with the groceries!"

Draco groaned and buried his face in his pillow while Pansy went to her room to retrieve her own pillow to beat Blaise with.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The next day, the three of them went down to the local village for breakfast. They found a small bakery that sold coffee as well. The owner was a nice elderly woman who was excited to have visitors in the village, because they rarely have visitors. The only building nearby was the cabin, and since they didn't even have an inn, only a couple of visitors came every so often.

"You have to be careful when you go into the woods," the woman said as she sat with them. There were no other customers yet. "The woods are inhabited by vicious bears. You best be wary of them."

"Oh," Pansy said as she lifted an eyebrow. "But they don't wander outside the woods?"

"No," the elderly woman said with a toothy grin. "Well, there is a pack of lions in the woods as well, but unlike the bears, you don't have to worry about them."

"Why not?" Draco asked. "Aren't lions just as fierce as bears?"

"Yes, well, they are special," the woman said, tapping the handle of her tea cup in thought. She sniffed and lifted the cup to her lips, taking a small sip, while the others watched her with rapt attention, awaiting her next words. "They are also known as the protectors. As if having conscious thoughts, they don't attack people. They've been protecting the local villagers and occasional visitors from the bears. We respect and take care of them in exchange."

"That is curious," Blaise commented. "Will we ever get to see them?"

"Maybe, if you wish hard enough," the woman said with a chuckle. "It is said that they are rarely seen. Only select few people could see and interact with them."

"Why, though?" Draco asked again.

"I don't know," the elderly woman said, staring into the brown water in her cup. "When one of the lions is seen by someone, the others could see it too. But none of those who have seen one ever tells the story how."

"I see," Pansy mumbled. "Well, it's certainly interesting. Maybe you can meet one, Draco."

"Why me?" Draco asked. "Why not you?"

"Because you attract canines," Pansy said with a grin, and Draco simply rolled his eyes.

Secretly, though, he really wished he could see one of those protectors.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

After breakfast, the three went their separate ways. Pansy wanted to walk around and look for gifts for her family and Hermione, who missed the chance to see this attractive little village. Blaise wanted to visit the hot spring, and Draco wanted to go fishing. He rented a simple fishing rod from a nearby store, and bought some baits as well.

He chatted with the tackle shop owner about some fishing tips and tricks before he walked up to the woods. It wasn't big, but it was quite dense. Near the entrance of the woods, there was a stream running from the top of the mountain and down to the village. It was nearly at the middle of the woods, but still nearer to their cabin than to the other side.

As he entered the woods, he thought he saw a flash of red and gold, but it disappeared so soon that he thought it was only his imagination. Then, he continued on to the stream.

The stream was clear and the water was cool. He sat down on the bank and set up his fishing rod. He also got a stand to put his rod on so he didn't have to constantly hold onto it. As he waited, he looked around the woods, noticing the trees. There weren't any flowering trees in the woods, only evergreens and ferns, as well as the occasional willows.

He sat on top of a rock, staring as his floater bobbed up and down, but there was no fish yet. The tackle shop owner said the fish was indeed rare because of the number of bears inhabiting the forest, but there were still some left. Also, most people come up there not because they truly wanted to catch a fish, but rather because they wanted to relax.

He felt the hair on his nape raise and looked around in worry. The rustling of leaves and bushes added to his fear, and he quickly put away his fishing equipment. He knew there was a possibility it was one of the lions the elderly woman spoke of, but he wasn't going to take any chances.

His caution was rewarded when a bear appeared out of the bushes, roaring and clawing furiously. He considered his options, and thought that running away was his priority. So he ran.

The bear caught his movement in the corner of its eyes, and began rushing after him. His survival instinct kicked in and he ran faster, away from the bear. On the way out, only about ten meters away from the exit, he tripped over a thick root, and wondered if it was too late to play dead.

As if sensing his distress, like a knight in shining armour, a lion charged from the bushes, tackling the bear down and biting into its paws viciously. The bear and the lion fought, biting and clawing at each other as Draco watched in wonder, silently cheering for the mighty lion.

After a long fight, the lion finally won. The bear lay on the slightly damp ground, its neck torn open and bleeding into it, turning the brown soil slightly reddish in colour. The victory wasn't without consequences, however, and Draco noticed that the lion had a long gash down its right side.

The lion turned to look at him, as if checking if he was alright. Once it was satisfied that Draco indeed was fine, he turned to leave.

"Wait!" Draco shouted, and the lion stopped. He looked hesitant for a moment, then tentatively walked towards the lion, kneeling beside it. "You're hurt," he said softly. He looked up at the lion, his eyes fearful and doubtful. "Can I touch you?"

The lion let out a noise that was a cross between a growl and a purr, and Draco nearly laughed. The lion lowered its head and rubbed its cheek against Draco's, and he knew that the lion had given him permission. He quickly inspected the wounds the lion sustained. The gash wasn't deep and it wasn't bleeding, but it was still an open wound, and if left untreated, could become infected. He also had smaller cuts all over his body—the lion was male, because it had a bright red mane that was almost, dare he say it, _fluffy_.

"Aw, I've never seen a lion so well-behaved and cute," Draco said with a grin. "Your mane is fluffy too," he added, and he could have sworn the lion looked at him indignantly. "Is it alright for you to leave the woods for a while? I want to take you back to the cabin, and maybe I can treat you properly there."

The lion looked at him strangely. Draco wondered if he could understand him.

"I'm training to be a vet," Draco said. His eyes widened when the lion's eyes shone with comprehension. "Well, I'm sure I can treat your wounds. They're not that bad. The villagers will definitely have some supplies to treat you with. And I'll buy your food, so you don't have to hunt in this condition."

The lion growled in approval.

"Good," Draco said as he rested his head on the lion's. "Do you have a name?"

The lion traced "Harry" on the ground with his claws, and Draco wasn't sure what to think. He wondered if he should be afraid at the prospect of an animal who understood human speech perfectly and could reply in kind—because he wasn't.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Pansy had shrieked in terror when she first came into the living room and saw the bandaged lion lying in front of the fireplace, and Draco using its body as a foot stool. She had demanded to know if he was still right in the head or if he had a dying wish, but Draco managed to convince her that Harry the Lion wouldn't hurt them.

"And how do you know that?" Pansy demanded, staring at the lion suspiciously while the lion looked back at her innocently.

"He saved me from a bear," Draco said. He then narrated the tale of how he met Harry, and said that Blaise already knew. He also screamed in terror when he first saw Harry, but now he had taken quite a liking to him. In fact, they went down to the village to buy first aid supplies together, and now he was back down to buy raw meat for Harry's dinner.

"Harry, this is Pansy," Draco said, and the lion lifted its paw as if to wave at her. "Look at that, isn't he cute?"

"Well, if you say so," Pansy said, still sceptical. "I'm going to my room to sort through these souvenirs. Call me when dinner is ready."

"Alright," Draco agreed. After Pansy went upstairs, Draco turned back to Harry. "Do your wounds still hurt?"

Harry shook his head.

"Good," Draco said. "Well, dinner should be ready soon. Meanwhile, why don't we take a nap?"

The lion growled in approval and delight. He lifted his left front paw, as if asking for Draco to settle down there. He did, lying down on the soft rug, and Harry lowered his paw again, covering Draco with it. The gesture was protective and possessive, and Draco couldn't help but smile as he curled into the lion, gently rubbing over his bandages.

That was how Blaise found the two, curled up and asleep, lulled by each other's warmth. He then wondered if what Pansy said about Draco attracting canines was true after all.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Harry the Lion recovered at the same time as the day they had to leave the cabin. Draco was saddened that he couldn't see Harry again, then promised that he would visit when he had time. He was still trying to figure out the mystery of the room that seemed to attract him too.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll see him again," Pansy said as she hugged Draco while he was feeling upset about leaving the cabin behind.

"Yeah," Blaise agreed. "If only lions aren't considered dangerous animal, I would have suggested that you bring him down with us."

Pansy rolled her eyes. "Come, Draco, we leave in fifteen minutes. Have you packed your things?"

"They're in the trunk," Draco said with a smile. "Well, at least we still have Love."

"Are we talking about our Husky, or are you talking about this strange love you share with the lion?" Blaise asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm talking about Love, our Husky," Draco said, rolling his eyes. "Maybe I shouldn't have chosen an ambiguous name like that."

"Or maybe you shouldn't choose names that actually have explicit meanings," Pansy suggested.

"Maybe we can get a Golden Retriever and name him Harry," Blaise suggested with a cheeky grin, and received a whack on the head by a cushion for his trouble.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Hey guys," Hermione greeted when they returned to their townhouse. "How was the holiday?"

"Good," Pansy said. "I got you some souvenirs from the village. They really do make good handcrafts."

"Oh, and Draco found the love of his life," Blaise said with a grin. "A mighty male named Harry."

"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed, then grinned like a maniac. "Who is it? How did they meet? Is he here? Did they have some way to contact each other again? Did he say he love you?"

"Whoa there, woman!" Draco exclaimed. "Blaise is having you on. Harry is a lion!"

Hermione's gasp turned into one of terror. "You met a lion! Did he hurt you?"

"No, no, let me tell you the story," Draco said as he shot Blaise a dirty glare, while the other man grinned unapologetically. He then proceeded to tell her everything the old woman who owned the bakery told them, and told her the story of their first meeting, and of how Harry got hurt and how they treated him until he was fine again.

"That's interesting," Hermione commented finally. "We should go back there during the mid-break if we have time. I'd like to see the lion for myself."

"Sure," Pansy said with a shrug. "It's actually cheap to stay up there. And the villagers are nice and helpful too."

"See? That's because I'm a master planner!" Blaise remarked smugly, and then threw back the cushion Pansy threw at his face.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Draco?" Luna Lovegood, a fellow classmate of theirs, called as Draco walked out of his classroom. "Someone's looking for you."

"Oh," Draco said. "Who is it?"

"I don't know, I didn't ask," Luna said as she smiled at him, as if it was a perfectly normal thing to do. Draco stared at her. "Well, I'll see you around."

"Alright, thanks anyway, Luna," Draco said. He walked towards the exit, as it was already after school, but on the way back, he was suddenly pulled into an alley and a warm hand covered his mouth, preventing him from shouting.

He swiftly turned around and lifted his textbook, ready to beat whoever it was who accosted him into oblivion with it, but stopped. Standing before him was a tall man with dark hair and the greenest eyes he had ever seen. He wore round glasses that seemed to obscure the view of his eyes, and a very wide, bordering on idiotic grin.

"Draco!" he exclaimed. "How good to see you again."

Draco blinked.

"Have we met before?" he asked strangely, cocking his head slightly in question.

The man's eyes widened in realization. "It's me, Harry!"

Draco opened his mouth to retort, but 'Harry' continued on.

"We're actually from a tribe of shapeshifters. All of the lions, the protectors, can transform into human. When a potential mate comes into the vicinity of the woods, every lion there will watch them, and the first one to be seen by that mate is the one chosen, so to speak."

"We can only transform in the woods because there is a magical core buried underneath, giving us enough magic to transform. However, when we choose a mate, a piece of that core is transferred into the mate, so we could transform outside of the woods and go after said mate."

Draco frowned. Did that mean he was Harry's mate? But he had never heard of anyone capable of turning into an animal before.

"Why should I believe—"

The man transformed into a lion right in front of him.

"—you? Oh goodness."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Draco stared hard at the cup of coffee in front of him. He was sitting in a small tea shop that was only five minutes from his campus grounds, but wasn't frequented often by students of his campus—because there was another tea shop inside. There weren't many people at that time, and he glared at Harry who was happily eating a piece of cheesecake.

"This is really good," Harry said as he grinned at Draco. "We don't turn into humans at all, only after we've found our mate. And I now know why those who have found their mates refuse to return. Human foods are awesome!"

"Shush, don't say that!" Draco said in alarm as people stared at them. "Don't make them think as if you're a zombie."

"What's a zombie?" Harry asked, blinking at him.

"Of course, you've never known anything about how humans live before," Draco said with a sigh. "How did you learn to write then?"

"There was an old man from the village," Harry answered. "He was the mate of the only lioness in our tribe, decades ago. After she died, he came up to the woods and taught us the ways of human."

Draco frowned. "Does it have anything to do with the way she died?"

"She got run over," Harry said, sniffing slightly. "She didn't know anything about traffics. There aren't vehicles up there. He decided to teach us so there would be no more accidents after."

"He's a noble man," Draco commented. "So you're saying that we're mates?"

"No, not yet," Harry replied. "You're my chosen mate, but I'm not yours. Only when you verbally acknowledge me as your mate will we be mates. Then, if one of us betrays the other, the wrath of my entire clan will be on us."

Draco nodded thoughtfully.

"That's alright," Harry said, the corner of his eyes crinkling slightly as he smiled. "You can think it over. I know this is a huge decision to be made. I will be waiting for your answer."

"How long will you wait?" Draco asked.

"My whole life," Harry responded, his smile subdued into a soft, gentle smile. "Because there is no life if you are not in it."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Draco, where have you been?" Pansy demanded as soon as Draco stepped through the front door of their townhouse. She was standing at the bottom of the stairs, her fists on her hips. "Answer now or you're grounded this weekend!"

"I met someone," Draco answered, walking towards the couch where Hermione and Blaise were sitting. "His name is Harry."

"Oh?" Hermione asked. "Just like your lion?"

"Yeah," Draco replied distractedly. He stared at his hands, then looked up at them. "I'm returning to my house this weekend."

"Why?" Blaise asked, confused.

"I need to talk to my mother about something," Draco offered, a small smile on his face. "It's better to talk to her directly than through phone. I promise I'll be back here for the first class next week. It won't take long at all."

The three looked at each other.

"Well, I suppose," Pansy said finally. "I hope you get whatever answer you're looking for."

Draco smiled at her. "Thank you Pansy. Thank you Hermione, Blaise."

"Why is my name mentioned last?" Blaise asked indignantly.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Good morning Draco," Harry greeted right when Draco walked out of their townhouse to go to his first class. "Here, this is for you," he added as he handed the bouquet of wildflowers to Draco. "I hope you like it."

Draco stared at the bouquet, and smiled. "Where did you get this?"

"I picked them out myself," Harry said proudly. "Mrs. Heath wrapped the flowers for me. She's really nice, isn't she?"

"Mrs. Heath?" Draco asked, his jaw dropping in surprise. "The florist Mrs. Heath?"

"Yeah," Harry replied easily. "Why?"

"Doesn't she live up in that mountain?" Draco asked.

"Yes," Harry answered. "But I live in the cabin for now."

"What!" Draco shouted. "You go back and forth between the cabin and here? Are you touched in the head?"

"Well, it only takes me two and a half hours if I ride my bicycle really fast," Harry admitted. "And what's wrong with that? Don't you humans always do that too?"

"We commute, but never that extreme!" Draco scolded. "You're staying in this house."

"Eh? But won't your friends be surprised?" Harry asked.

"Only for a while. This weekend we'll go to my house, and you'll be staying there. It's only half an hour from here if you ride your bicycle really fast," Draco said, staring hard at Harry, who looked like a kicked puppy instead of the fierce lion that he was.

"I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"For making you upset," Harry said. "Am I forgiven?"

Draco groaned mentally. "Come on," he said, tugging at the taller man's hand. "Let's get you settled down in here. I think I can miss my first class."

"You sure?"

"Yes, now come before I change my mind and kick you out."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Draco, where were you this afternoon?" Hermione asked as soon as she walked into the townhouse and noticed the light was on. She had the shortest day on Wednesday, so it should be her to be the first to reach home. "It's not like you to miss classes... who is that?"

Draco walked from the kitchen to the living room where Hermione was staring strangely at Harry who was sitting on the couch, gripping his mug of hot chocolate while watching football on television.

"Hullo," Harry greeted as he beamed at the girl. "My name is Harry."

"Harry who?" Hermione asked, frowning.

"Potter," Draco said quickly. "His name is Harry Potter."

"Oh," Hermione mumbled, blinking in confusion. "Is he your friend?"

"He's my—" Harry started, but was hit by a cushion by Draco, so he kept quiet.

"Yes, he's a friend. He just came from a village far away," Draco answered. "He'll be staying with us for a while, until I go back to my house. He'll be staying with my mother then."

"Okay," Hermione agreed. "Just don't miss classes again next time. You can borrow my notes just this once."

"Thank you," Draco said. "We'll be in my room. Will you please tell Blaise and Pansy about him?"

"Alright," Hermione agreed. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Draco laughed as he walked up the stairs, and Hermione lifted an eyebrow when she heard Harry ask 'what does she mean? What wouldn't she do?' to Draco.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Narcissa wasn't sure what to say after hearing the story from Draco. He had told Sirius before telling her, and now Sirius was in the study with Harry, giving him the Talk.

"Wow, even I am speechless," Narcissa commented. "But if it's true, then it's alright for you to be with him, honey. He seems sincere."

"I know," Draco said. "He turned into a lion right in front of me. No trick can ever pull that off."

"Then what's stopping you?" Narcissa asked kindly, placing her hand on Draco's shoulder. "What is preventing you from getting your happiness?"

Draco fell silent, staring at the pattern of the rug intently. Narcissa looked at him patiently.

"I'm afraid, Mother," Draco admitted finally. "What if he's only trying to get close to me to break me? What if he'll learn what I am like and reject me? What if..."

"What if he thinks I'm a burden?"

"Oh Draco," Narcissa murmured, pulling her only son into a tight hug. "I am so sorry that you have to go through that. I am sorry, Draco. Please forgive me. Please forgive him."

The door opened and Sirius walked in. He sat down on the other side of Draco and mouthed the question of what happened to Narcissa over Draco's head which was resting on her collar.

Narcissa mouthed back Draco's worries.

"Draco," Sirius said, reaching out to pat Draco's head. "Don't be afraid. You're a very lovable person."

"You're lying," Draco said as he looked up at Sirius. "If I am why does he hate me?"

Sirius chuckled. "There's always an exception to everything," he said softly. "But I'm sure he doesn't really hate you. I've seen him, Draco. He loves you. With his life."

"But—"

"We don't know yet why he did what he did," Narcissa added. "We haven't heard anything from or about him in such a long time, it's like he disappeared into thin air. Draco, please, find it in your heart to forgive your father."

"I'll try," Draco said with a strained smile. He turned to Sirius curiously. "Where's Harry?"

"He's in his assigned room, sleeping," Sirius answered. "He hasn't been sleeping much lately."

"Oh? Why?" Draco asked as he frowned. "I already told him not to go back and forth between the village and here."

"Oh? He didn't tell you then?" Sirius asked back. "He said he's been doing all the housework in your house."

"Has he?" Draco was surprised. "I asked Pansy if she did it, but she said she didn't. I guess all of us just assumed the other did it."

"He is a sincere man, Draco," Sirius said, patting Draco's shoulder. "He's definitely good for you. If you would just give him a chance."

"But—"

"You don't have to be his mate," Sirius cut off. "Just try dating him, see if you two work out."

"Yeah, you're right," Draco agreed. "I guess I'm just being paranoid."

"Your old wounds haven't been healed yet, so it's normal for you to be afraid," Narcissa said, stroking his hair softly. "But don't let it take happiness away from you."

"I'll try," Draco said with a smile. "Thank you Mother, Sirius."

Draco excused himself from the sitting room and retired to his own room. Sirius and Narcissa stared at each and sighed.

"I wish he would forgive him and start calling me Father," Sirius said with a sad smile. "But until then, I will just wait."

Narcissa smiled at him encouragingly. "Look at it from the bright side," she suggested. "He loves you too much to associate you with that title he still dislikes."

"Yeah..."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Ssh, don't be loud or you'll wake him."

"Woof!"

"Hey!"

Draco blinked his eyes open and saw Harry trying to quiet Love down, while shooting him apologetic glances.

"What are you doing here?" Draco asked, frowning at the two. "And since when did you learn how to lockpick?"

"The door wasn't locked," Harry replied. "Maybe you forgot to."

Draco fell silent in thought, but then shrugged it off. "You haven't answered my first question."

Harry grinned. "Love wanted to sleep with you."

Draco looked at the alarm clock on his bedside table, and noticed that he didn't actually have to wake up for another hour. He lay back down on his bed and motioned for Love to climb up, which he did happily.

"You can come up too, Potter," Draco said as he chuckled. "I hope you don't mind me giving you your surname."

"Oh, no, not at all," Harry replied with a grin. "I'm actually happy you would bother to give me a name."

"You can come up here too, Harry," Draco said as he smiled at the taller man. "But only if you change to your lion form."

Not missing a second, Harry transformed into his lion form, then looked hesitantly at the bed. As a lion, he weighed a lot. The bed frame would never hold his weight.

Draco seemed to notice his predicament, so he took the blanket down with him and curled up together with the lion. Love jumped off the bed and joined them as well.

When Narcissa came up to wake Draco, she nearly fainted in shock, and Sirius only laughed.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Ever since then, the two had begun dating. Draco told Harry that he would acknowledge Harry as his mate only when he was ready to, and Harry only said that he would wait for it, no matter how long it took. As Draco had ordered, Harry stayed with Narcissa. Love followed Draco back to their townhouse on the campus grounds.

Draco told the others that Harry was the son of a family friend, and because his parents had recently passed away, he stayed with his mother instead. He also told them that he was dating him. Pansy was surprised, but didn't say anything. The others wisely decided not to comment as well.

Over the nearly three years that they've been dating, Narcissa, Sirius and Hermione watched them closely. They saw how Draco changed as time went by. He had come to accept friendship, but he wasn't yet accustomed to love. However, his constant suspicion had melted and for the first time in his life, he was truly comfortable with another man loving him and genuinely happy.

"Harry?" Draco asked one day, as they were resting on Draco's bed, curled up against each other. Draco was visiting his house again. "Why would I have chosen you?"

"Don't you want to?" Harry asked teasingly. "Well, Draco, I've chosen you before you chose me. When you came to the woods, I did everything I could to make sure you would see me first."

"Why?" Draco asked, looking up at the green-eyed man.

"I've been watching you," Harry answered. "When you went into that room and sat there. I've been watching you since then."

"But why?" Draco asked again, frowning.

Harry hesitated. "I don't know if I should tell you."

"And why ever not?"

"Because he asked me not to."

"He?" Draco asked, looking at Harry curiously. "Who is he?"

"Your father," Harry answered innocently. He shouted in surprise when he was pushed off the bed, and quickly rolled away to avoid the alarm clock that Draco threw at him.

"What's wrong Drac—"

"Get out!" Draco shouted. "Out!"

"Draco, wait, what's wrong?" Harry asked, futilely trying to defend himself from Draco as he beat Harry with his pillow.

"I can't believe I trusted you!" Draco shouted accusingly, tears welling at the corner of his eyes. "You're just like him! What does he want from me now! Does he want me to suffer because I've wasted my life and missing out on other people while I'm with a arsehole like you!"

"Draco, I don't understand," Harry said, frowning. "What's wrong?"

"Go away Harry," Draco said, slumping down and pressing his pillow into his face. "I don't want to see you."

"Draco—"

"Go!"

Harry reached out his hand to touch Draco's shoulder, but stopped himself and sighed. "Alright," he said softly, standing up to his feet. "Just know that I'll still be there for you if you want to see me again."

When Harry had left and the door closed behind him, Draco finally let the dams break and cried his eyes out.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The next day, Draco spent a lot of time in the bathroom trying to mask the swell around his eyes. He gave up after minutes of bathing his eyes in cold water and walked downstairs to the dining room, where Sirius and Narcissa were.

"Good morning," he greeted, taking a seat across them.

"Draco," Narcissa started, "we're not going to pretend we don't know what happened."

"So he told you," Draco said, sniffling. "What did he say?"

"He didn't know anything about the divorce or the fact that your father had rejected you," Sirius answered. "But he won't tell us his story. He said you should be the first to know the truth."

"What truth?" Draco asked, frowning.

"Here," Narcissa said, handing him a piece of paper. "This is Harry's letter for you. Please, Draco, give him another chance."

"Why should I?" Draco asked, huffing.

"Because he's not the one at fault," Sirius replied. "And when he said he'd be waiting for you his whole life, he really means it."

"I don't—"

"Once he has chosen a mate, he cannot choose another, Draco," Narcissa explained. "He's stuck with you for life, but you aren't. If you choose to be with someone else, the only thing he can do is sit back and wait until the day he dies."

Draco's jaw dropped open. "I don't believe it," he said, but his voice shook. "He could have just said that to get your sympathy."

"Draco," Sirius started, "he's made you happy these three years. He's given you everything you needed, and has done everything you wanted him to do. He waited on you hand and foot. He started working at the local bookstore and got promoted to a manager because he wanted to buy you a gift with the money he earned himself."

"He loves you, Draco," Narcissa finished softly. "No one will ever go that far only to please your father. What can he promise in return? Money? Power? Your father has nothing, Draco. When he gave me full custody on you, he gave everything in the Malfoy fortune to us as well, save a few hundred pounds."

Draco's eyes widened in shock. "Why?" he asked, his lips trembling and his voice shaking. "Why did he leave then? Why did he leave without taking anything?"

"I'm not sure," Narcissa said, staring wistfully at her hands that were on her lap. "I have a theory, but I don't know if it's the truth. Harry knows the truth. Go talk to him."

Draco fell quiet and instead chose to open the letter Harry left him.

-.-.-.-.-.

_Dear Draco,_

_I am very sorry for being such an insensitive arsehole last night. I didn't know that you had such a bad memory about your father. I'm sorry if I had caused you any pain. It was never my intention to hurt you. Please forgive me._

_If you are reading this, I will already be at the cabin up in the mountains. There is something I need to tell you. I want to honour the promise I made to your father, but seeing as how things are, I think you deserve to know the truth._

_If you will still take me back, I will be waiting in the cabin._

_At the very least, if you want to know the truth, please meet me at the cabin. Even if you don't want me, I will still love you unconditionally._

_Yours always,_

_Harry Potter_

_P.S. I'm keeping the name you gave me._

_P.S.S. You are really loveable. Don't let anyone—or yourself—tell you otherwise_

-.-.-.-.-.

Draco told Hermione that he would be missing classes on Monday and that if she would, please take some notes for him too, because he was going after Harry.

She had asked what happened between them. Draco told her it was just a stupid misunderstanding on his side.

When he arrived at the cabin, he had felt the same pull that he felt the first time he was there. When he reached the room, he saw Harry inside, sitting on the bed, sifting through a bunch of letters. The locked drawer of the desk was open.

"Harry?" Draco called as he walked in slowly, hesitantly.

Harry looked up, and smiled at him, motioning at him to come closer.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Here," Harry said, handing the letters to Draco. "These are the journal entries of your father before he passed away."

The letters fell from his hand onto the carpeted floor.

"Wh—what are you talking about?" Draco asked, staring at Harry. "You're joking, right?"

Harry stared back at him solemnly. "Just read the letters, Draco. Please. You'll understand."

Draco reached out with his trembling hands, carefully picked the letters up. He then began to read the last writings of his father.

-.-.-.-.-.

_I miss my wife and my son. I wonder how they fare? Are they well? I hope Black takes good care of Draco. I will definitely come haunt him if he doesn't._

_Why did I have to be so harsh to Draco? What if he grows up rejected? I'm such an idiot._

_This place is nice. If only I've lived here my whole life, I wouldn't have had this cancer._

_All my life I've wanted a happy family. Now that I have one, why do I have to leave them behind?_

_I met a little boy in the woods. I named him Harry. He looks perfect for Draco. Oh, how I wish I could live to see Draco happy with his chosen partner._

_I see Harry almost every day now. He likes it when I tell him stories of my beautiful son. I'm just glad because it helps me remember him as well._

_It seems my time is near. Goodbye, world. My last wish is happiness for my family. I hope that at the very least, they will live a long and happy life._

-.-.-.-.-.

Tears fell down from his eyes like streams and his vision blurred as he gripped the last letter tightly. Each letter was signed by his father, and he also wrote the date down.

His last letter was dated three months after his divorce with Narcissa.

"I was interested in him ever since he moved into this cabin," Harry explained. "This is his room. It's no wonder you were attracted to this room."

"Before he died, I promised him that I would look after his beloved son if I ever get to meet him," Harry continued. "He's proud of you, and he loves you so much. So much that he wishes that you would forget all about him and be happy with your new father figure instead, so you wouldn't have to mourn for him."

"I guess he didn't expect that you wouldn't be able to forget about him," Harry said with a soft smile, pulling Draco into a hug. "He made me promise not to tell you of how he died. But I can't stand to see you suffer like this, and I'm sure he can't too."

Draco had never cried harder in his whole life. And finally, he could truly forgive his father, and feel love for him again.

"Are you feeling alright now?" Harry asked, stroking Draco's hair gently.

"Yeah," Draco replied, giving him a watery grin. "Thank you Harry. And I'm sorry for exploding at you like that."

"It's alright, that's understandable," Harry said, pressing kisses to Draco's cheeks. "So..."

"So?"

"Will you take me back?" Harry asked, smiling, although Draco could see a hint of uncertainty in his eyes.

Draco smiled back at him. "Only if you will have me again."

Harry chuckled, and pulled Draco closer. On that day, exactly three years ever since they met each other, they shared their first kiss.

**End of Story**

And that's it :D hope you enjoyed it, even in the slightest


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